SW/SOC 325: Cultural Diversity and Cultural Competence

Fall 2017 Dr. Alice Gates, L.M.S.W., M.A.

University of Portland Associate Professor of Social Work
Dorothy Day Social Work Program Office: Franz 110B, 503.943.7104
Email: gatesa@up.edu

Class meeting Office hours

T/Th 12:55-2:20, Franz 223 Mon., 3:00-4:00; Tue./Thu., 9:45-11:00; & by appt.

Course description:
This course considers issues of human diversity broadly defined to include race, ethnicity, culture, nationality,
religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and ability. Through an interdisciplinary social science lens, we will
examine the following questions: How do we experience and understand diversity and difference? How do
diversity and differences shape systems that affect individuals, families, communities, and society? Students will
explore the contours of difference and the dynamics of diversity, privilege, and oppression in domestic and
global contexts. Building on standard models of multicultural competence that emphasize knowledge,
awareness, and skills, students will be introduced to cultural humility, culturally specific approaches to practice,
and frameworks for equity and empowerment.

Course Objectives:
By the conclusion of this course, students will understand/be able to:
1. Apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life
experiences in practice at micro, mezzo, and macro levels (C2a).
2. Understand dynamics of power, privilege, and oppression, and identify practices that advance social,
economic, and environmental justice (C3b).
3. Drawing on examples from domestic and global contexts, apply knowledge of the historical and
contemporary dynamics of privilege and oppression in society, (C2d).
4. Demonstrate understanding of how global forces shape the context for contemporary social work practice
and identify skills and perspectives to enhance effective practice in cross-cultural and cross-national social
work practice (KAKI)
5. Engage with others around identity and difference, and apply self-awareness to identify and manage the
influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and communities (C2c).
6. Describe principles of cultural humility and identify skills and practices to advance cultural humility in work
with diverse clients and communities. (C2b)
7. Demonstrate professional demeanor, including oral, written, and electronic communication (C1c).

Required texts:
Adams, M., et al. (2013). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, 3nd edition. Routledge.
Listed as RDSJ in the syllabus. Numbers before readings indicate Chapters in the 3rd edition.
Fadiman, Anne. The spirit catches you and you fall down. Farrar, Straus, & Giroux.

Additional required readings will be posted on Moodle.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUIREMENTS:

1. Critical Analysis papers (Course objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Students will write brief response papers on readings prior to class in response to specific prompts. Reflections
are due before class on the day they are assigned and should be turned in on Moodle. Students will incur late
penalties (10% for each 24-hour period after deadline). Note that these are listed as CA #1, etc. in the schedule.

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2. Book analysis (Course objectives 1, 3, 4, 6, 7)
Students will respond to questions in essay format—Parts I and II—analyzing content in The Spirit Catches You
and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman.

3. Integrative project (Course objectives 1, 3, 5, 6, 7)

Students will conduct independent research and present recommendations to advance the goals of equity and
empowerment with respect to a specific population, community, or issue in a given organizational context. The
project will be assessed based on four student products:
a. Project proposal
b. Literature analysis**
c. Written report with recommendations
d. Oral presentation in class

Students may complete this project individually or in small groups. Groups will submit a single proposal (a),
written report (c), and group presentation (d) and receive the same grade.
**Each student in a group will submit their own individual literature analysis (b) for a grade, and this assignment
should represent unique work by the student.

4. Participation (Course objectives 1, 5, 7)

Participation includes meaningful contributions to class discussion, in-class exercises, and functions outside the
classroom. Occasionally ungraded assignments completed in class will be required and will count toward your
participation grade for that day. More than 2 unexcused absences or repeated tardiness will affect your final
grade. Students have the responsibility to provide documentation for excused absences; if no documentation is
provided, absences are automatically counted as unexcused. Please read carefully the Professional Behavior
statement (below), which contains specific guidelines about behaviors that constitute meaningful participation.

Assignment Points (%)

Critical analysis papers 200 points (40%)

(25 points each x 8)
Book analysis in two parts 100 points (20%)
Integrative project: Equity & Empowerment 150 points (30%)
 Proposal (10)
 Literature analysis (50)
 Report (70)
 Presentation (20)

Participation 50 points (10%)

TOTAL 500 Points

Grading scale

94-100% = A 87-89% = B+ 77-79% = C+ 67-69% = D+

90-93% = A- 84-86% = B 74-76% = C 64-66% = D
80-83% = B- 70-73% = C- 60-63% = D-
0-59% = F

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COURSE AND DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES
Professional behavior:
Throughout the semester, we will have discussions on course content, exercises, and readings, which include the
book discussion. Participation allows students to develop their critical thinking skills and articulate, through
using communication skills, how theory and employment of knowledge is utilized in generalist practice to
conceptualize and intervene with individual and social problems. Since you are all preparing to become
professionals in social work and other disciplines, it is expected that your behavior in the classroom will be as
professional as it is in the workplace. And, every student is unique and brings contributions that no one else can
make. Without each person’s participation, the class as a whole loses opportunities to learn from one another. As
such, it is expected that each one of us will be prepared for class; be present in class both in mind and body; act
respectfully toward colleagues and the instructor; turn off and put away all phones, computers, iPads, etc. (unless
you’re doing something using technology that will contribute to class); and contribute to the learning process and
environment by actively participating in class discussions. Should you need to use a computer in class, please ask
for permission from the instructor. Showing up prepared is part of professional behavior; therefore, students who
have more than one week’s worth of unexcused absences and/or who act unprofessionally can expect a lower
participation grade. Also, as part of the continuation policy for the SW major, students are expected to maintain
good attendance/participation habits (SW majors refer to the Student Handbook).

Mutual respect and creating an anti-oppressive learning environment: In this course, each voice in the
classroom has something of value to contribute. Please take care to respect the different experiences, beliefs and
values expressed by others.

Clear and timely communication with the instructor: If you have concerns about something that happens in
the classroom, please set up a time to meet with me as soon as possible. When I know about your concerns I am
better able to respond.

Late work: Students will not be allowed to make up work unless arrangements are made ahead of time or a
documented emergency has occurred which prevents students from completing work. In most cases, late work
will be penalized or not accepted at all. In cases of documented emergencies, students must contact the
instructor as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.

Email etiquette and format: Please check your email regularly. This is the way that faculty communicate with
students, and these communications may include changes to readings and assignments that affect you. Please
consult the course syllabus and/or Moodle prior to emailing me with questions about readings and assignments.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND RESOURCES

University of Portland’s Code of Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is openness and honesty in all scholarly endeavors. The University of Portland is a scholarly
community dedicated to the discovery, investigation, and dissemination of truth, and to the development of the
whole person. Membership in this community is a privilege, requiring each person to practice academic integrity
at its highest level, while expecting and promoting the same in others. Breaches of academic integrity will not be
tolerated and will be addressed by the community with all due gravity. Please see the University Bulletin for
policy: http://up.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2016-2017/bulletin/University-Academic-Regulations/I-Code-of-
Academic-Integrity

Assessment Disclosure Statement

Student work products for this course may be used by the University for educational quality assurance purposes.

Accessible Education Services (AES)

Students who experience a disability and require an accommodation to fully participate in this class, contact the
Accessible Education Services office, located in Buckley Center, Rm. 163 or call 503-943-8985. If you have an
AES Accommodation Plan that includes academic accommodations that apply to this course, make an
appointment to meet with your professor to discuss how your accommodation will be implemented. You are
responsible for giving sufficient notice to your professor for timely implantation of your accommodation;

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therefore it is recommended you speak with your professor in the first week of the semester or as soon as your
accommodation plan is activated. Also, meet with the professor if you have an AES Safety Plan and/or wish to
discuss emergency medical information or special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated.
Requests for alternate location for exams and/or extended exam time should, when possible, be made two weeks
in advance of an exam, and must be made at least one week in advance of an exam.

Shepard Academic Resource Center (SARC)

The Learning Resource Center, located on the first floor of Buckley Center within SARC (BC 163), provides
peer assistance tutoring for writing, math, speech and presentations, languages, business and economics, sciences
and nursing. For Writing. Go to www.up.edu/learningcommons/writing-center. You will need to register as a
user the first time you go to the website. If you cannot make any of the posted office hours, you can arrange an
appointment by emailing writing@up.edu. For Math. Math assistants are available on a walk-in basis. Pleas go to
www.up.edu/learningcommons/math-resource-center for a current schedule of hours math assistants are
available. For Speech and Presentations. Speech assistants from the Communication Studies Department are
available by appointment only. Just send a request to: speech@up.edu. For International Languages. Language
assistance is available by appointment; go to www.up.edu/learningcommons/language-assistance and send an
email to the target language. For Biology and Chemistry. The Chemistry Department offers peer mentoring on a
walk-in and appointment basis. The Biology Department offers peer mentoring on a walk-in and appointment
basis. For Business and Economics. In collaboration with the Pamplin School of Business, the Learning
Commons now offers peer learning support in Economic and Business Law by appointment only. Go to
www.up.edu/learningcommons/Economics-and-Business for appointment information. Learning Assistance
Counselor. Learning assistance counseling is also available in BC 163. The counselor teaches learning strategies
and skills that enable students to become more successful in their studies and future professions. The counselor
provides strategies to assist students with reading and comprehension, note-taking and study, time management,
test-taking, and learning and remembering. Appointments can be made in the on-line scheduler available to all
students in Moodle or during posted drop-in hours.

Mental Health Statement

As a college student, you may sometimes experience problems with your mental health that interfere with
academic experiences and negatively impact daily life. If you or someone you know experiences mental health
challenges at UP, please contact the University of Portland Health and Counseling Center in Orrico Hall (down
the hill from Franz Hall and Mehling Hall) at http://www.up.edu/healthcenter/ or at 503-943-7134. Their services
are free and confidential, and if necessary they can provide same day appointments. Also know that the
University of Portland Public Safety Department (503-943-4444) has personnel trained to respond sensitively to
mental health emergencies at all hours. Remember that getting help is a smart and courageous thing to do – for
yourself, for those you care about, and for those who care about you.

Non-Violent Community Statement

University of Portland Faculty, Staff, and Students are committed to creating a community free of interpersonal
violence, in which all members feel safe and respected. Each of us has a personal responsibility to reject violence
or intimidation of any kind. Resources for those experiencing or wishing to report violence can be found on our
community against violence website: http://www.up.edu/cav/

TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE

Subject to revision. Please consult syllabus posted on Moodle for most up-to-date version.

Conceptual foundations

8/29 Course overview

8/31 Johnson, A. “The forest, the trees, and the one thing.” In Johnson, A., The forest and the trees:
Sociology as life, practice, and promise, pp. 7-36. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

Gay, R. “Peculiar benefits” in Bad Feminist: Essays, pp. 15-19. Harper Perennial Press.

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9/5 Marsiglia, F. & Kulis, S. “Cultural diversity, oppression, and action: A culturally grounded
paradigm” in Marsiglia, F. & Kulis, S., Diversity, oppression, and change, 2nd edition, pp.
32-44.

Crenshaw, K. Why intersectionality can’t wait. Washington Post.

RDSJ
1. Tatum, B. D. The complexity of identity: Who am I?
2. Kirk, G. and Okazawa-Rey, M. Identities and social locations: Who am I? Who are my people?
3. Johnson, A. The Social Construction of Difference [review from SW 205]
4. Bell, L. Theoretical foundations
Hardiman, R., Jackson, B. W., & Griffin, P. Conceptual foundations
6. Harro, B. The cycle of socialization &
131. Harro, B. The cycle of liberation

Critical Analysis (CA) #1 Social Identities (CO 1, 5, 7)

Race and racism

9/7 RDSJ
8. Tatum, B. D. Defining racism: ‘Can we talk?’
9. Takaki, R. A different mirror
10. Roppolo, K. The real problem with Indian mascots
13. Anzaldúa, G. La conciencia de la mestiza
14. Dalmage, H. Patrolling racial borders

Fim: Selections from Race: The Power of an Illusion

9/12 RDSJ
16. Chung, O. Finding my eye-dentity
17. Gansworth, E. Identification Pleas
18. Fayad, M. The Arab Woman and I
19. Aviles, Q. My Tongue is Divided into Two
20. Williams, P. The emperor’s new clothes
21. Arminio, J. Waking up white

CA #2 Racial identities/Racism (CO 1, 2, 3, 7)

9/14 Sue, D.W. et al. (2007). “Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice”

Film: When the Bough Breaks (from Unnatural Causes: Is inequality making us sick?)

9/19 Wise, T. “Resistance” in White Like Me (e-reserves)

Fair, C. D. “An open letter to white ‘allies’ from a white friend” in Kimmel, M. & Ferber, A. (Eds.),
Privilege: A reader, 4th edition, pp. 288-294. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

RDSJ
22. Ayvazian A. & Tatum, B. Women, race, and racism
24. Smith, R. The personal is political

CA #3 (CO 1, 2, 3, 5, 7)

9/21 Film: White Like Me

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Im/migration and global perspectives

9/26 Healy, L. “Values and Ethics for International Professional Action” in International Social Work.
(pp. 239-259)
Pease, B. (2016). “Globalizing privilege” in Kimmel, M. & Ferber, A., (Eds.), Privilege: A reader,
4th edition. Westview Press.

Other readings TBA

CA #4 Im/migration (CO 1, 2, 3, 4)

9/28 Film: Farmingville

Disbility and ableism

10/3 RDSJ
Castañeda, C., Hopkins, L., & Peters, M. Ableism: Introduction (pp. 461ff)
95. Bryan, W. Struggle for freedom: Disability rights movements
96. Cerney, J. Historical and cultural influences in deaf education
98. Wendell, S. The social construction of disability
99. Davis, L. Go to the margins of the class: Disability and hate crimes
101. Grossman, D. Mass psychiatric casualties

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Racism & Ableism (blogpost)

Gay, R. (2017). Excerpts from Hunger: A memoir.

CA #5 Disbility/Ableism (CO 1, 2, 3, 5, 7)

10/5 Film: Lives worth Living

Patriarchy, gender and sexuality

10/10 RDSJ
62. Johnson, A. Patriarchy, the system: An it, not a he, them, or us
61. Kimmel, M. Masculinity as homophobia: Fear, shame, and silence…
69. Kirk, G. & Okazawa-Rey, M. He works, she works, but what different impressions they make

Section 7, Catalano C. & Shlasko, D. Transgender oppression: Introduction (pp.425ff)

88. Spade, D. Mutilating gender
92. Green, J. Look! No, Don’t! The invisibility dilemma for Trans(sexual) men
93. Taylor, E. Cisgender privilege

Recommended:
Dean Spade’s website includes more of their readings, articles, videos on critical trans resistance

10/12 RDSJ
77. Blumenfeld, W. J. How homophobia hurts everyone
79. Carbado, D. Privilege
84. Evans, N. & Washington, J. Becoming an ally: A new examination

CA #6 Gender and sexuality (CO 1, 2, 3, 5, 7)

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  Fall Break 
Begin reading Anne Fadiman, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Exploring a case: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

10/24 Chs. 1-9 (pp. 1-118)

10/26 Chs. 10-13 (pp. 119-180)

*Book analysis, Part 1 due at the beginning of class

10/31 Chs. 14-17 (pp. 181-261)

*Book analysis, Part 2 due at the beginning of class

Cultural competence, equity, and empowerment: Frameworks for practice

11/2 Equity and empowerment lens, Multnomah County

Integrative project: Small group work developing your ideas and identifying sources

*Project proposals due on Friday, 11/3 at 5:00 PM

11/7 Cross, T. et al. (1989). Toward a culturally competent system of care, pp. 7-11.

Marsiglia, F. & Kulis, S. “Cultural norms and social work practice,” in Marsiglia, F. & Kulis, S.,
Diversity, oppression, and social change, 2nd edition, pp. 253-277. Chicago: Lyceum Books.

CA #7: Cultural norms and cultural competence in practice (CO 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)

11/9 Tervalon, M. & Murray-Garcia, J. (1998). Cultural humility vs. cultural competence: A critical
distinction in defining physican training outcomes in multicultural education. Journal of
Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 9(2), 117-125.

11/14 Ortega & Faller, 2011. “Training child welfare workers from an intersectional cultural humility
perspective,” Child welfare, 90(5), 27-49.
Gray, M., Yellow Bird, M., & Coates, J. Toward an Understanding of Indigenous Social Work. In
Indigenous Social Work around the World, Ashgate (e-book available through library)

CA #8: Cultural humility in practice (CO 1, 2, 5, 6, 7)

11/16 *Project: Research analysis due at 12:55 PM

Small group brainstorming/planning session

11/21 Gutiérrez, L. & Lewis, E. (1999). Empowerment techniques: Engagement and assessment in
Empowering women of color.

11/23  Thanksgiving 

11/28 TBA

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11/30 TBA

12/5 Student presentations

12/7 Student presentations

&

12/14 10:30 AM—12:30 PM Student presentations

*Project reports due at 10:30 AM on Dec. 14.

Exam week: Note that we will meet during the designated final exam time for our class (12/14—see above) per
the registrar’s final exam schedule. This class meeting is part of our instructional time and your absence will
count against your final grade per the course policy on absences. Please plan your holiday travel accordingly and
share with anyone who will be making your travel arrangements.

Due dates*

Critical analysis papers 9/5 (all due at beginning of class, 12:55 PM)
9/12
9/19
9/26
10/3
10/12
11/7
11/14

Book analysis 10/26 at 12:55 PM

10/31 at 12:55 PM

Project proposal 11/3 at 5:00 PM

Research analysis 11/16 at 12:55 PM
Presentations 12/5, 12/7, 12/14 (class meetings)
Reports due 12/14 at 10:30 AM

*Dates are subject to change (in your favor), but the assignments will not change